Shim Eun-kyung confirms Nodame Cantabile remake
by girlfriday
FINALLY. We have a heroine! After multiple rounds of casting news and false alarms, the Korean drama remake of Nodame Cantabile — called Cantabile Romance — has secured its leading lady. The fantastically talented Shim Eun-kyung (Miss Granny) has at last signed on to play Nodame, opposite Joo-won (Good Doctor) who has been attached to the project since April. Shim was an early favorite to play the heroine, but bowed out due to scheduling conflicts for her movie Waiting For You; fan outcry during subsequent casting rounds left the role unfilled, and once her movie got pushed back, producers successfully wooed her back.
The fall KBS Monday-Tuesday series is a university campus drama about classical musicians. It’s being produced by Group Eight (Boys Before Flowers, Tamra the Island, Goong, Pretty Man) and will star Shim Eun-kyung as Nodame, a savant pianist who can replicate a piece after hearing it but struggles to read music. She’s a quirky, adorable slob who can’t manage to clean up after herself, which I can already picture Shim Eun-kyung pulling off without breaking a sweat — if any young actress has cornered the market on quirky, it’s her.
Joo-won will play the star pianist who secretly wants to become a conductor. He’ll help the heroine with everything from music to cleaning up her messy place, and naturally she falls in love with him. I mean, he cooks and cleans, plays the piano brilliantly, and is played by Joo-won. What else is there to know? Baek Yoon-shik (Gu-am Heo Jun) has been cast as the genius conductor and mentor who’s also a pervy womanizer, and Do-hee (Answer Me 1994) will play a supporting role as a member of the orchestra.
Sometimes Group Eight’s manga, anime, and Japanese drama remakes end up feeling more cartoonish than I would like for a drama adaptation, but I’m hopeful that this one will live up to its buzz. It’s clearly a beloved story with fans who are protective of its core characters, and a show driven by its love of music. Besides, I’m beyond excited for the Shim Eun-kyung/Joo-won pairing. They’re going to be SO CUTE. I can’t stand it.
Cantabile Romance follows Discovery of Romance in October.
Via TV Report
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51 nabi2810
July 29, 2014 at 12:45 AM
i still cannot imagine Joo-won as Chiaki, hopefully he'll prove me wrong and manage to offer something new to this character
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52 sakura1985
July 29, 2014 at 1:09 AM
God..!! Finally she confirmed it.. she's the best option out there to be nodame.. and compare to the last girl that was offered this role, she's like far far far far more suitable and talented..
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53 thursdaynexxt
July 29, 2014 at 1:26 AM
Big sigh of relief!!! Of course, as someone pointed out previously, getting the casting right is only part of the job ...
And the sheer wealth and variety of the soundtrack is really its own character altogether. I wonder if they're going to use some of the same music? It would be an impressive feat if they could create an entirely new soundtrack of classical music that works as beautifully with the show as the J-drama did!
But for now, I'm having fun speculating who might be cast as Mine, and who the Harisen Teacher might be - for the closest Korean equivalent, will he be from Busan?!!
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54 Sur
July 29, 2014 at 2:31 AM
Even though its a good casting news! About the final product LET'S SEE.....
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55 mon
July 29, 2014 at 2:40 AM
APPLAUSE ..... (ღ❤‿❤ღ)
I understand why people wants her to take the role after seeing 'miss granny' she is great
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56 junny
July 29, 2014 at 3:20 AM
I'm sorry that Shim Eun-kyung took on this hot mess, I think she deserves better given what a talented actress she is. I wish they'd left Nodame Cantabile alone - there are tons of Japanese dramas out there which would be better suited for remakes into a Korean context.
The sole comfort (albeit little) is that she has a bit of the Nodame feel, though I can't say the same about her co-star - he just isn't a Chiaki, period.
And the title changed to Cantabile ROMANCE? Just great -__-
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57 sunny
July 29, 2014 at 4:14 AM
yeyy for our new couple. i have no doubt about joo won at all. i can see him as Chiaki so clearly. now, where is Octoberrrr ??
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58 john
July 29, 2014 at 4:17 AM
Well, congratulations to miss Shim Eun-kyung . I've enjoyed her in what little I've seen her in.
Now they can move full on in "adapting" it to meet K drama standards.
Love triangles, Evil ex, (bitchy MIL won't really work), I know, how about the Truck of Frigggen Doom ? Yay !
Insert sappy love songs, (gotta have an OST, never mind the killer soundtrack that the original had, we'll "improve" on it), yay !
The rest of the cast can now be chock full of useless idols, because we want all the ahjummas to tune in, yay again.
See how much we'll "improve " on it? I think I'm going to puke.
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59 rez
July 29, 2014 at 4:21 AM
When I heard the news, I was so excited to tell JB or GF about this one.
Then here it comes. Thank you Shim Eun-kyung for make this happening. We know you are an amazing actress. Woo hoo....
Nodame Cantabile was my favorite J drama. I dont know why I so much in love with nodame and chiaki senpai, but tbh, maybe because its Juri Ueno and Hiroshi Tamaki. Should I say more??
Maybe we felt the same now about Cantabile Romance. We dont know how the show will goes on, but Joo Won and Shim Eun-kyung itself make this show sounds so excited. Hope it goes well ^^
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60 Kaybee
July 29, 2014 at 5:06 AM
I guess I am the only one who is not excited about Joo Won.
Shim Eun Jyung on the other and is perfect for the role imho. Isn't he too old for the role and if not, too old for her?
I loved Joo Won in Baker King so much but after that I never found him very appealing. All his projects were boring for me even Good doctor (actually it was he who was boring in them). People praised his Savant Doctor's role but I found the subtle nuances of a Savant missing in Good doctor and for some reason he was quite irritating in that drama... I hope he proves me wrong. Also I hope he try new approach to acting like he did in Baker King...that passion...that madness...
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john
July 29, 2014 at 5:37 AM
I found his Good Doctor role to be a cross between Forrest Gump and Rainman. I saw 1 painful episode of Civil Servant. Dunno, maybe he did something worthwhile somewhere, just ain't feeling a Chiaki vibe from him.
No fear, they'll change him into a jackass chaebol to fit into the K Drama Trope Box. Yay. Swoon.
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junny
July 29, 2014 at 6:28 AM
@Kaybee,
You're not the only one not feeling a Chiaki vibe from Joo Won. He just isn't Chiaki, that's the long and short of it. Besides, he looks like Shim Eun-kyung's brother rather than a potential love interest and, more importantly, her mentor in music.
Tamaki Hiroshi and Ueno Juri had a six-year gap, but they were in such perfect sync it was amazing.
@John,
That's most likely what they'll turn the K-Chiaki into. And that's just not Chiaki at all, it'd be just so wrong and an complete lack of understanding about his character.
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Kaybee
July 29, 2014 at 7:01 AM
"He looks like Shim Eun-kyung’s brother rather than a potential love interest and, more importantly, her mentor in music". My exact thought!
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john
July 29, 2014 at 7:08 AM
snow ~
I probably shouldn't rain on this parade. Perhaps it will be a good story, it just won't be Nodame Cantabile, that's for sure.
The original was magic as far as the music goes. Any deviation from that will be a mistake. The cast was perfect.
I know some folks didn't appreciate the humor and I can understand that.
To me, the original was about people realizing their full potential, over coming the fears and doubts that can gnaw at young people as they make that transition to becoming an adult.
Not just Nodame and Chiaki, but all of them.
It wasn't a love story per se, although there certainly are people that fall in love along the way.
As Stresemann demanded , "No mediocrity !" from those around him, I fear that this adaptation will be just that, a mediocre attempt to cash in on the Nodame story..
TT . TT
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junny
July 29, 2014 at 12:00 PM
John,
The original is what you've said, abut people discovering themselves and their potential, and how far they can go. I see that in all the key characters - Nodame, Chiaki, Mine, Kuroki, even Kiyora and Masumi. Romance... well, it's an afterthought - there's more to life than soppy love triangles. These people have so much music in them to express and experience.
I wouldn't say we're raining on the parade, just saying a few home truths. There are a lot of Japanese quirks in Nodame Cantabile that are not translatable to a Korean context - the kotatsu, for one. And what about Puri Gorota??
I'm psyching myself to think that they can make whatever changes they want, because then it'll just be a Korean drama about music students and romance, and NOT strictly an adaptation of Nodame Cantabile. Then it can be mediocre all it wants.
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Cazorlaesque
July 29, 2014 at 12:42 PM
My exact thoughts, John !
The reason why the FTLY remake worked is because the original was lacking on many levels. Nodame Cantabile is perfect. Every performance is spot-on, and the soundtrack is beyond description.
I consider myself non-biased since I only Know the NC couple from that specific drama. I'm no die-hard f
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Cazorlaesque
July 29, 2014 at 1:23 PM
My exact thoughts, John !
On of the main reasons why the FTLY remake worked is because the original was promising but lacking on so many levels, allowing for the premise to take a whole new, much better shape. Nodame Cantabile, on the other hand, is perfect. Every performance is spot-on, and the soundtrack is beyond description. I'm all for musical dramas, but do not touch Cantabile, not even for the sake of an hommage.
I cannot think of a better Chiaki or Nodame, nor any other cast member. Ueno is terrific, I dare you to disagree, and for those of you who think Tamaki's Chiaki is a one-layered stone cold guy .. I speak for myself when I say I've never seen more believable tears in dramaland, and his character, although made to be perfect, feels very human and vulnerable.
Nodame Cantabile is just too good, too quirky, and too Japanese. Granted, its style is not for everyone .. Nor should it be.
Since damage is done already, I can only hope that foolhardy attempts of capitalizing on a successful work end here.
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eny
July 29, 2014 at 9:13 PM
i watch NC after many discuss about the remake, when some of you think it's perfect i don't think so . This drama has good story but the japanese comedy is way overate to me.
I hope the remake will change the comedy part, doesn't mean the cut all the comedy but just to eliminate the overate part n they develop the student-teacher relationship more. I think this could be really amazing with some improvement.
akamiso
July 29, 2014 at 2:19 PM
Yay happy to not be alone in hating this entire thing and wishing it would disappear instantly!!
However, I seem to be the only one hoping it deviates from the original as much as possible. It's just not going to work in Korean, they might as well do something completely different so it will just stay away from the rest of the franchise (manga, anime, jdrama) as its own thing, instead of just doing our beloved story in a horribly cringe-worthy way and bringing shame to the whole thing ;)
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61 bonsai
July 29, 2014 at 6:35 AM
I literally ran out of my seat up the stairs to look for my sisters. I LOVE her. Now I'm just crossing my fingers so this remake won't be a flop.
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62 69
July 29, 2014 at 6:59 AM
I LOVE Shim Eun Kyung because of her brilliant acting.While I DISLIKE Joo Won! I drop watching his dramas.For instance,some may like "Good Doctor".However,I couldn't finish it.And the thing is,it wasn't important for me what would happen in the end.I feel meh when it comes to Joo Won's dramas! To explain more,I find his acting so boring & TO MY HUMBLE OPINION,he doesn't have wanted onscreen charisma & isn't able to get me get glued to TV! I simply felt so meh & unattarcted when watching his dramas so I dropped them.If it weren't for Moon Chae Won,I wouldn't have watched even those episodes of GD.Now once AGAIN,I like the female lead BUT I dislike the male lead!! This is reallyyy bad to LOVE one & dislike the other!
PS:I wish they had chosen Joo Won(NO OFFENCE to his fans,I just expressed myself & you may like him).
PS:I hope the drama will be a success because I don't want SEY be wasted & come to the conclusion that he should never star in a drama again!
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kaizen68
August 19, 2014 at 5:38 PM
You have to watch Gaksital!
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63 Kitchel
July 29, 2014 at 7:13 AM
AHHH THANK YOU GOD!!!! Now i'm excited for this remake, it better NOT disappoint or there will be riots lol October needs to get here!!!
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64 SS
July 29, 2014 at 8:54 AM
The fact that Joo Won's fans have kept silent and not defending him against some very ridiculous comments here does not mean they don't exist. Many just avoid coming here or bother to write a comment.
I have mostly been a silent reader of DB's updates of Cantabile Romance since they started blogging its news. There are people who don't ever give up bashing Joo Won even if they repeat themselves ad nauseum. I bet the same people will watch the show they are 100% sure that it will bomb and comment the same stuff in every recap. Why ride the train if you are sure it's gonna wreck? Or has that become a pastime on DB?
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Mandy
July 29, 2014 at 9:35 AM
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, you know? That's the point of discussions. I don't think Joo Won is a good fit and I've stated my reasons, as did many others. Just because you disagree, it doesn't make our comments 'ridiculous'. Also, no one's 'bashing' him - Gosh that word is SO ridiculously misused.
If fans avoid or don't bother to write comments, then that's to their digression. If you want to counter, stating reasons would generate a debate, not complaining about people's opinions.
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Dramafed1782
July 29, 2014 at 10:08 PM
Stating an opinion is good. Nonetheless we are just going around in circles. How many reports have come out on the casting? How many reports have come out on speculations for the other cast? Yet the so-called "opinions" keeps overflowing with negativity.
The topic finally rests on who has been selected and decided upon. Yet, the never ending "complaints" translated to "opinions / debates / forthcoming wrecks" is going on like a CD which is gonna wear out sometime.
Simply don't watch the drama or don't bother commenting. Everyone gets it - many hard core fans of the live-action adaptation don't like the feel of JW portraying Chiaki. What's done has been done!
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65 flibbet
July 29, 2014 at 9:10 AM
this girl i can definitely see as nodame.
joo won on the other hand... chiaki is sexy, charismatic, passionate, reserved, and still vulnerable. he's the cool, untouchable genius on campus. tamaki hiroshi WAS chiaki. joo won just isn't the right actor for this role. he has none of chiaki's feel or presence.
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66 R
July 29, 2014 at 1:07 PM
Thanks for the news. Can't wait to watch this drama !
I agree that the actor joo won doesn't have chiaki feel. But he is a great actor IMO. Let's him prove us he IS Chiaki (I hope so and I trust his talent).
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67 hanna
July 29, 2014 at 2:06 PM
Love SEK..
But ... the picture... they look like brother and sister 0_o GAAHH.
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68 PilTa
July 29, 2014 at 6:36 PM
I am going to stay FAR AWAY from this drama. I will always compare it with the original. As much as I love Joo Won, remakes are not my thing. I never watch any remakes (BOF, Fated to Love You, etc) because I will always be biased to the original for sentimental reasons.
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69 Reilly
July 29, 2014 at 7:31 PM
Finally, the casting news I've been waiting for...as for Chiaki, yes, Joo Won is an talented actor, he'd proven his pull as the go-to leading man in the Kdrama scene, he was excellent in Good Doctor and Baker King. But however I try to look at it, he doesn't have the right 'feels' for the part, how do I say it, he's somehow not the right fit to the jigsaw puzzle pieces that is this korean Nodame remake. IMHO G8 could go for a more less known actor, that is actually the right 'fit' for the part and also the drama as a whole.
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70 Reilly
July 29, 2014 at 7:39 PM
I could actually envision Park Ki Woong as Chiaki, though not a fan, he was hillarious in Secretly, Greatly, and proven his potential as leading man in Gaksital, I think he'd get the the stoic, stone-cold but neurotic persona of Chiaki down pat, and I do believe he'd look cute with Shim Eun Kyung. (Sigh, Group8..)
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roony
July 30, 2014 at 5:40 PM
Park Ki Woong it's in the Army right now
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71 Ran
July 30, 2014 at 6:30 AM
I love Nodame Cantabile and I've only recently watched Shim Eun Kyung in Miss Granny. I think she's good. I'm not familiar with Joo Won but I don't really see him as Chiaki. I imagined Choi Jin Hyuk and Go Ara as the characters. Ha! If only... :D
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72 Bera
July 30, 2014 at 7:44 PM
I don't know about acting but this pair doesn't look as good as the JP pair. JW is so not hot.
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73 Viki
July 31, 2014 at 12:10 AM
I'M ON IT! Now I'm watching for sure. I love Nodame Cantabile and if this production company is known for making things cartoonish, that's great because I love how the dorama have that manga-feel to it despite it being live-action.
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